2 Answers

To put it bluntly, yes. Declawing is pretty much only done in America and it is outlawed in many, many other countries of the world because it is considered to cause unnecessary pain.

Declawing involves removing not only the cat’s claw but also the toe up to the level of the first joint. It would be like chopping off your fingers to the first knuckle. Although the procedure is done under a general anaesthetic and your vet will provide pain relief, the cat still has to walk on their sore toes until the healing is done.

There are also concerns that declawing prevents cats displaying their natural behaviour (again a reason why it is illegal in some countries) and not being able to defend themselves properly if they are cornered while outside.

Trimming your cat’s nails regularly will have the same effect but without any pain or expense.

However, if you do decide you would like to have your cat done, speak to your local vet about the operation and exactly what it entails. Although the surgery is performed in the USA, it is becoming less popular and more and more clinics are refusing to do it, so you may struggle to find one in your locality. | 02.29.16 @ 17:33

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